Brother
by WinterDrake
Summary: A conversation between Somnus and Ardyn before Chapter 14.


_I felt like writing this after playing the Episode Ardyn. Wasn't entirely happy with what we got for the DLC so I wanted to write a quick little something. The story doesn't really have much to do with the DLC but I just felt like writing this. Endnotes will explain why I feel that way about episode Ardyn a little more. _

_Please don't read if you haven't played the DLC yet!_

* * *

**Brother**

"Ardyn." The familiar voice roused the man also known as the Accursed from his light doze. His eyes remained closed but he felt something different about the world as he focused. The crystal behind him seemed to vibrate in excitement.

So, the boy had finally returned.

At long last, it was almost time to let the final battle commence. But first, Ardyn would have to deal with the nuisance that liked to bother him every so often. He could banish him any time he wanted, but Ardyn enjoyed seeing the pain on the man's face after their every confrontation.

"Somnus." Ardyn greeted the voice, not bothering to open his eyes. "Here to try and convince me to 'cease this madness' once more?"

"Would it work this time?" Came the tired voice of his younger sibling.

"No, dear brother. But please, attempt it if you must. I do enjoy the begging." Ardyn opened his eyes and smirked as he spoke, causing the specter of his brother to roll his eyes. It was a childish and not a very kingly action, but speaking with his older brother made Somnus revert to these youthful mannerisms.

Somnus sighed and sat down on the steps before the throne, his ethereal body glowing a gentle blue, not unlike the crystal in its prime. He looked across the vast chamber, allowing his thoughts to consume him.

The younger of the two Lucis Caelum's looked solemn. The last of his blood had just returned to Eos from his time in Reflection. No doubt his older brother could feel it. This would likely be the his final conversation with Ardyn before the young king arrived. It was a few minutes before Somnus finally spoke.

"How did it come to this?" Somnus asked. He didn't really expect an answer. He and Ardyn had argued many times over these ten long years awaiting the return of the True King.

"Ask yourself and your precious Gods." Ardyn muttered darkly, the venom in his voice not as pronounced as it was in previous encounters. It seemed he was growing bored of these conversations. "You betrayed me. You left me in the darkness. The monster you see before you is nothing but the result of your own actions."

"And you yourself hold no blame? You are faultless in this?" Somnus responded, no anger in his words. Anger never worked. Ardyn would just smile infuriatingly when Somnus became enraged. Ardyn held all the power here, and he knew it.

"I was a healer. I did everything I could to save our people. I should have been the Founder King. It was my birthright, not yours." Ardyn did not raise his voice at his brother's insinuation. This was just another pointless argument that would change nothing.

"You were no Oracle. You misused your powers, even if it was for a noble cause at first. You let yourself be corrupted. The Gods saw this when you tried to ascend. I saw this." Somnus spoke softly. "I asked you to stop… But you didn't. I was left with no choice, brother. It is the Scourge twisting your memories and your desires. We did not betray you. You were not yourself by the end. You are not yourself, even now. The brother I knew would never commit the horrific deeds you have."

Ardyn said nothing in response and Somnus knew it was useless once again.

Somnus sighed once more. "It does not matter anymore, does it? You will do as you wish regardless of anything I say now."

"What has been set in motion must now come to pass. And I will enjoy every moment of it. I don't believe you, but I would not much care at this point even if you are right. I'm having far too much fun now. What thrilling few decades it has been since I was freed from the prison you threw me in. You could never understand what two thousand years of darkness and isolation does to a man." Ardyn voice lowered as he said this, becoming dangerous. Somnus shivered at the tone.

The pain and mayhem Ardyn had caused since he had been freed fulfilled him in ways nothing else did. Would he go back to being the man he was before if given the chance? Never, the thought. What a naive, weak fool he had been all those years ago. The power he had now was almost limitless. He would make the Gods pay for taking away his right as king and sealing him away. The world they held so dear would become as corrupted as he was now. And after that, even the Gods themselves would fall to the Scourge as the Infernian did. They were not as almighty as they thought they were. It was only a matter of time.

There was silence in the throne room for some time, with Somnus not knowing how to respond.

"I hate seeing you like this." The younger sibling admitted softly.

"But I enjoy seeing you like this. Powerless and a pawn in my games." Ardyn laughed, no remorse in his voice. "Let us see how your little sacrifice will do. If he survives long enough, you will fight him. Maybe it will even be by your own hand that the world is left in darkness. The Founder King killing the so called 'True King'. The first killing the last. Would that not be a fitting end for him?"

"Ardyn…" Somnus stood up from the stairs, looking straight into his brother's eyes. "I believe Noctis will prevail. No matter what you do, the True King will triumph. I have faith in him. The Gods have faith in him. He will bring you the peace you deserve." He let the words he spoke be filled with his conviction. The boy was strong and resilient. He could do it. He _would _do it. It was not fair, both Noctis and Ardyn did not deserve this fate but this was the way it was. This was the only way it could be now. Let their afterlife give them the happiness and freedom they deserved from their mortal lives.

"We shall see, Somnus. And if he fails, I shall have an eternity to hold his failure over your head. Yours and your Gods." Ardyn smirked, his face showing his glee at the thought. "Now begone. I have some preparations to make before our guest of honor arrives. Soon, you can give the boy the welcome a son of your bloodline deserves."

With a wave of Ardyn's hand, Somnus disappeared in a rush of darkness, crying out in pain as he did. As darkness overtook his vision, Somnus prayed. _Please Noctis, you must prevail. Save my brother from this madness. Let him find peace._

* * *

*****Spoilers for Ardyn DLC. Again, please don't read if you haven't watched/played it!*****

_I have to admit, I didn't like the story for the Ardyn DLC. I liked most other aspects of it (voice acting, gameplay, the **hats**), but not story itself. The episode seemed rushed and seemed to contradict the lore of the main game. One of the biggest issues for me was that the writer for the episode, (who was not the writer for the main game but was for Episode Ignis as well), came up with the idea that Ardyn was betrayed by the Gods. I don't believe it supposed to be like that in the main game. I am really unhappy with that, as it makes it seem like the ending for the main game is pointless. Another was that the canon ending is Ardyn accepting the fate decreed by DLC Bahamut. It does not make sense to me for his character. I can only see the Ardyn DLC like verse 2 of Ignis's DLC. Something that's not canon. I would have really liked an alternate ending for this game, but not how they attempted to do it here._

_Sorry for the rant! But I needed to get that out._

_You can check out Reddit and Famitsu for more information and interviews about the Ardyn DLC, if you are curious. _


End file.
